Setting Up Your Own Markdown-Based CMS with PHP, HTML, and CSS

Are you tired of the complexities of mainstream CMS platforms? Do you crave a lightweight, customizable solution for your blog? In this guide, we'll walk through the process of setting up your own Markdown-based CMS using PHP, HTML, and CSS. This setup will not only provide SEO-friendly URLs but also allow you to unleash your creativity with custom text formatting structures.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the setup, ensure you have the following:

• A server with Apache installed
• PHP installed on your server
• Basic knowledge of Apache configuration
• Parsedown library (available on GitHub)

Apache Configuration

First, let's configure Apache to handle SEO-friendly URLs and route requests through index.php.

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName mywebsite.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/blog-directory/

    SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/mywebsite.com/fullchain.pem
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/mywebsite.com/privkey.pem
    Include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-apache.conf

    FallbackResource /index.php

    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f
    RewriteRule ^ - [L]
</VirtualHost>

Explanation of key configurations:

• FallbackResource: Directs all requests to index.php.
• RewriteCond: Ensures that existing files are served without redirection.

PHP Code Example

Now, let's create the PHP code that will handle incoming requests and convert Markdown content to HTML.

<?php
// index.php

// Load Parsedown library
require_once 'path/to/parsedown/Parsedown.php';

// Get the URL ending
$requestUri = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
$slug = ltrim(parse_url($requestUri, PHP_URL_PATH), '/');

// Define the directory for Markdown files
$markdownDirectory = '/path/to/markdown/files/';

// Build the full path to the Markdown file
$markdownFile = $markdownDirectory . $slug . '.md';

// Check if the Markdown file exists
if (file_exists($markdownFile)) {
    // Read the Markdown content
    $markdownContent = file_get_contents($markdownFile);

    // Use Parsedown to convert Markdown to HTML
    $parsedown = new Parsedown();
    $htmlContent = $parsedown->text($markdownContent);

    // Output the HTML content
    echo $htmlContent;
} else {
    // Handle 404 error or redirect to a default page
    header('HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found');
    echo '<h1>404 Not Found</h1>';
}
?>

Explanation of key PHP code sections:

• $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']: Extracts the requested URL.
• ltrim(): Removes leading slashes from the URL.
• file_exists(): Checks if the Markdown file exists.
• Parsedown library: Converts Markdown to HTML.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've just set up a lightweight, customizable Markdown-based CMS using PHP, HTML, and CSS. This setup not only provides SEO-friendly URLs but also gives you the flexibility to enhance your content with custom text formatting structures. Experiment, iterate, and enjoy the simplicity of your personalized blogging platform.